Stop and Smell the People

A Debrief on Gratitude Wave 2

According to data from our website the Gratitude Wave was far less compact this time around. In August GW1 was powerful but very compact, concentrated mostly in the Southeastern United States. GW2 was bigger than GW1 in the Southeastern footprint, but it also saw significant numbers in Texas, California, Washington DC and New York. That’s remarkable for only two waves. On a side note, SASTP is now getting regular traffic from 48 nations around the globe. On a side note to the side note, Russia is in our Top 10. I’m serious. So here’s a shout out to all my comrades in Moskva!

How big the wave got on Facebook and Twitter is not easy to quantify. There were so many different “hashtags” (a device that allows tracking) that I don’t know where to start or stop measuring. On Facebook back in August GW1 lasted about 25 minutes from the first post to the last. GW2 went on for more than an hour. In fact the wave spread out so far and long that there were a smattering of FB posts thanking the troops right through the evening hours.

So it was at least successful in the sense that many more people participated. And you’d probably be surprised at how many people it takes to create a GW.

Unpaid Employees

I’ll start by thanking SASTP staff. And by staff I mean people who give copious amounts of their time to help Anna and I… for free! I call them “Unpaid Employees.” Anna and I are UE1 & 2.

UE3 through 6 are Eric Belongia, Chip Haynes, Brian Christianson and Barbara Mason Van. These people deserve more than I can give them. Of course I give them pretty much squat, so that’s not saying much. And yet they keep helping! Perhaps they have all been sentenced to community service and picked my website as the way to do their time. Whatever the case, I couldn’t do this website or any GW without them.

Media

Media peeps have been very kind to us. The following are my media heroes who selflessly use their influence to promote GW2: Larry Sprinkle and Colleen Odegaard at WCNC-TV. Lindsey Planer and John Hancock of News Talk Radio 11-10. Ainsley Earhart at FOX News. Randy, Marci and John Boy & Billy of “The Big Show.” Jen Byrum and Jim Shafer at AM Carolina on Lite 102.9. Charles Jenkin, Al Gardner and Stacey Simms at Charlotte’s Morning News at News Talk 11-10.

Do you know how many people constantly approach these folks to get stories on air? It touches me that they stopped to help.

SASTP Nation

The readers of this website really take this cause to heart. They hound their family and friends until everyone they know gets on board.

The Reason We Did It

The Troops on the front-lines and all the loved ones left at home worried and wondering. GW1 was a wild idea and it caught on. The idea was if we can get enough people to change their Facebook and Twitter status at the same time, maybe some of our soldiers and some of their family members will feel we still care about them. After Ft. Hood we realized GW2 should take place Thanksgiving week.

To be blunt, all I care about is one person. I care about the one soldier, or that one Army wife who feels forgotten. If because of a Gratitude Wave a friend of a friend of a friend of a friend types out some words of thanks and that one forgotten person reads them and realizes they are not alone, that’s enough for me.

One Last Thing

In my SASTP inbox last night was one unopened e-mail from a woman I have never met. Not sure why I didn’t see it earlier. She asked me to add her thoughts to the wave. As far as I know these are the only words of gratitude which haven’t made it on to Facebook or Twitter of SASTP.  Until now.

“Thank you for serving and protecting our country. Be Safe. Be Strong. And remember you are greatly loved and appreciated. Becky Kahle – Virginia”

Have a safe Thanksgiving everyone. As you gather with your loved ones, offer up a prayer for our brothers and sisters standing on that wall so very far from home… MR